Advanced Thin Film Deposition Techniques for Doped Metal Oxides and Chalcogenides: Applications in TCOs, Photovoltaics, and Sensing

There is significant interest in the development and application of doped metal oxides and metal chalcogenide thin films due to their versatile properties and potential for integration into advanced technologies. These materials find applications in various domains, including transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) for optoelectronic devices, thermographic phosphors for temperature sensing, and buffer layers in solar photovoltaic (PV) cells, among others.

This study focuses on three promising thin film deposition techniques—Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), Sol-Gel, and Spray Pyrolysis—each tailored to fabricate specific doped thin films with desirable properties. Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO) thin films were synthesized using MOCVD to achieve high electrical conductivity and optical transparency, essential for TCO applications. Europium-doped titanium dioxide (Eu:TiO₂) films, prepared via the Sol-Gel method, were optimized for luminescent and photocatalytic functionalities, making them suitable for applications in sensors and environmental remediation. Finally, tin disulfide (SnS₂) thin films, deposited through Spray Pyrolysis, were developed for their potential as an efficient light-harvesting material in photovoltaic devices.

The presentation highlights the synthesis processes, characterization techniques, and the resulting structural, optical, and electronic properties of these thin films, emphasizing their suitability for specific applications. These advancements underscore the importance of tailored deposition methods in the research and development of high-performance materials for next-generation technologies